No. 4 Mk 1 Enfields: Can they be acurized in any way??

[concretus]

Hello,
I got an Enfield that shoots very well with my hand loads but I was wondering if there was any thing else that could be done (and leave it in it military configuration) to try and squeeze that little more accuracy out of it. :coolp:

[Planning]

i think MJ11 is the expert here on the Enfields. maybe he will see this and respond.

[WildBillCody]

A trigger job will allways help, make sure the muzzle crown is good. I neck size only my reloads, and I read about how to fix your rifles headspace issues the other day, let me see if I can find it. Here is a good resource for bedding your enfield, http://www.enfieldrifles.ca/ti18.htm this is the way the old British match shooters used to do it, I also bedded my buttstock in the fitting. I was getting honest -1" groups@100 yards with that rifle using A-Max reloads.

[WildBillCody]

Here it is, very informative:


http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/topic/3361/t/Headspace-101-for-303-39-s.html

[concretus]

Those are great sites!! Very informative..Thanks!

[MJ11]

There are several good articals on accuracy and the #4 and all recomend checking the barrel to stock for correct contact. I would start there. #4's arenot really 100 yard rifles but settle down past 200 yards when they have the correct pressur at the forend tip.

[concretus]

So does the barrel free-float up to the muzzle? What about any bedding?

[WildBillCody]

There are several good articals on accuracy and the #4 and all recomend checking the barrel to stock for correct contact. I would start there. #4's arenot really 100 yard rifles but settle down past 200 yards when they have the correct pressur at the forend tip.


29240
50 yards with handloads right before I sold it. Of course the barrel was free floated.

[MJ11]

No the barrels are not free floated but have up to three contact points the knox the mid lower and 4# at the lower front. Free floating my seem to help at short range but again this is not a 50 or 100 yard target rifle but uses the barrel whip effect and correctly done will lay down and hold to 600 yards. Do the reading as I'm no expert and no wordsmith.

[txbrenek]

I free floited mine and fiber glassed the recever and she is a tack driver less than 1" @ a 100 yrds with 180 grn ammo any brand .Know when I put 150 grn ammo through my groups suck stick with 180 grn http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/ab274/tx318/058.jpg

[concretus]

I broke my rifle down to check the fit of the forend. By the way, It's a 1943 Maltby that was refurbished at the Fazakerley plant in 1948. It has a * on the top of the receiver which denotes a defective barrel so I was a bit uneasy about the rifle after I bought it. The guy I bought it from did not have the front guard screw bushing, That explained the inconsistency the first time I shot it. I got the bushing and the spring washer, bedded the front lug and about 2 1/2" forward the lug, bedded where the rear of the receiver sat in the forend, bedded the front below the trigger guard so I could sinch the guard screw nice and tight, free floated the barrel at the hand guards and the forend up to the last 3/4" at the muzzle and then glued a .010 brass shim at the muzzle to give a little upward pressure.
I went to the range yesterday to test some loads. I had the same recipe except for the bullets, I had Privi neck sized brass, Win LR primers, 44.0 grains of IMR 4350, and topped with either the Sierra 180gr Pro-Hunter and Hornady 174gr RN. I ran the bullet out to fin in the mag. The Hornady load grouped about 1 3/4"- 2" ( I was stoked!) and the Sierras grouped about 7/8" of an inch!!! I didn't clock them but the don't beat your shoulder or the rifle up. It's given me a total different kind of respect for these rifles.

[WildBillCody]

Great, Try the A-max 174gr they worked great in my gun.